Giants' Tom Coughlin says there's a role for everyone after Ramses Barden and Andre Brown star

With his breakout night against the Panthers, Andre Brown made the case for more playing time when Ahmad Bradshaw returns from injury.Jeremy Brevard-US PRESSWIRE

After the starters were done for the night in Thursday’s lopsided win against Carolina, Ramses Barden sought out his quarterback on the sideline.

The receiver couldn’t contain his happiness after a surreal nine-catch, 138-yard performance in the 36-7 victory. His target was Eli Manning, who was caught off guard when Barden came up behind him and engulfed him in a very sweet bear hug.

“I was very appreciative,” Barden said today, “of his trust and faith in my ability.”

Barden and running back Andre Brown, who rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns, each capitalized on his long-awaited chance to start, marvelously making the Giants look no worse for the wear without Hakeem Nicks and Ahmad Bradshaw.

They answered questions Thursday night. Now, the next one: What will be their roles moving forward, when the injured players return to action?

Coach Tom Coughlin said he’s guessing Bradshaw will be back for next week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, though the running back hasn’t yet been cleared by the doctors after suffering a neck injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Coughlin gave his standard “we’ll see” on Nicks, but the receiver has been playing through the soreness of his surgically repaired foot, only sitting out against the Panthers because the turnaround was too fast on a short week. Domenik Hixon, who had been the No. 3 receiver ahead of Barden, sat out last week with a concussion.

“I think there’s a place for everybody,” Coughlin said. “It’s a long stretch. That’s being proven right now. In the third game of the year.”

Barden and Brown, 2009 Giants draft picks who had been waiting years to make a splash in the NFL, surprised a national audience Thursday night. Coughlin admitted one aspect of their performances surprised him a little bit, too.

“I’m not surprised about the quality of their contribution,” he said. “Their numbers? Maybe.”

Barden, who averaged an impressive 15.3 yards per catch, wouldn’t say that he felt he couldn’t be covered. But he did say, “I was in a good rhythm.” The last time he felt that good was in 2008, when he was a senior at Cal Poly.

The Giants’ passing game thrived with a top trio of receivers in last year’s Super Bowl season — Nicks, Victor Cruz and Mario Manningham. Barden was careful not to bite on the notion that he could fill the void Manningham left when he signed with the San Francisco 49ers, but he said yes, he’d like as many opportunities as possible.

Coughlin did not hesitate when asked if this year’s receiving corps could again be among the league’s best.

“I would hope so,” he said. “That’s what they’re here for. The more the merrier.”

That’s his attitude toward the backfield as well. Brown has enlivened the run game in Bradshaw’s absence — he averaged 5.7 yards per carry against the Panthers — and created a need to get him on the field. Coughlin said first-round pick David Wilson also still will have “many opportunities.”

He referenced the 2008 season, when the Giants led the league in rushing with the “Earth, Wind & Fire” trio of Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Bradshaw.

“In our history here, it’s been, not one — you’re always in need of at least two (running backs),” Coughlin said. “And one year that we had a lot of success, we had three.”

Before Thursday night, of course, there was speculation about whether Barden and Brown would be up to the task as starters. Now, on the heels of their big nights, the question of if there are enough touches to go around is, as they say, a good problem to have.